Projects

Funded/Partially Funded Projects at IIT Madras:

Presently we are conducting research projects in the areas of data driven models, complex networks and FSI focussing on the dynamics of unsteady vortex dominated flows around rapidly moving boundaries, partially funded by Complex Systems and Dynamics Group, IIT Madras.

Energy harvesting with vortex induced vibrations, The project is funded by Science & Engineering Research Board, DST, India. Investigators: Sayan Gupta (AM), S. Faruque Ali (AM), Sunetra Sarkar (AE). In this multi disciplinary problem, we investigate the fluid structure as well as dynamical electro-mechanical coupling behaviour of smart material based energy harvesters that generates energy from flow induced vibrations. The study had a computational componet as well as an experimental component. Prototype model harvesters based on the above concept were analysed in the wind tunnel of the Biomimetic & Dynamics Lab. Our group was responsible for analysing the concerned fluid structure interaction behaviour of the bluff body and downstream flapper numerically using an unsteady Navier-Stokes based solver.
Fluctuating gusty input flows on rigid and flexible flapping wings (experimental and numerical investigations)
Vortex Induced Vibration of Indistrial Wind Turbine: This research based project involved developing the high fidelity solver with piece-wise VIV analysis along the tower lenth with suitable turbulence modelling under stochastic incoming wind. Funded by DNV-GL.
Stochastic fin buffeting: The project was funded by Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), DRDO, India. Fin buffeting was simulated using a Navier-Stokes solver and the structural response of the fin was analysed under different buffet load. Input to the Navier-Stoke solver was quantified using stochastic random proces and a novel way to treat the inlet boundary under such temporally correlated random process with spatial variation was devised. The inut stochastic variation represented various upstream flow-field phenomena, such as vortices interactions & breakdown, helical mode instability etc.
Dense gas aeroelasticity in centrifugal compressors: The project was funded by Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Delft, Netherlands. This was a joint industry initiative and commissioned by the major global players of the oil & gas industries (Shell, GE Oil & Gas, MAN Diesel & Turbo, Siemens, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries). IIT Madras team under Dr. Sarkar’s supervision was responsible for a computational analysis of the coupled acoustic-structure dynamics under the influence of non-ideal fluids like CO2 under very high-pressures. Interest was focussed on the coupled frequencies and modes to decide a safe operating regime as industries presently are striving to use their existing compressors with non-ideal fluids and aiming for increasingly higher pressures to enhance the yields. The project was done together with TU Delft (Prof. Hester Bijl and Prof. Richard Dwight were the investigators) and the experimental component of the project was done at Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO), Delft and
Uncertainty quantification in coupled physics problems: The project was funded by Aeronaitical Research & Development Board, DRDO, India (Co-investigator: Prof. R. I. Sujith, IIT Madras). Subcritical bifurcations which are found in many coupled engineering problems are said to be quite dangerous due to their dramatic occurrences. In the presence of input uncertainties sudden unexpected changes in the response surface are seen which are difficult to capture using spectral tools. The project developed alternate efficient uncertainty quantification tools to capture the stochastic output behaviour in coupled-physics problems such as aeroelastic and thermoacoustic instability problems.
Numerical simulation of flapping wing aerodynamics: The project was funded by Aeronautical Research & Development Board, DRDO, India. The project analysed the potential of various unconventional kinematic parameter ranges to explore their ability to generate large aerodynamic loads in flapping flights. Several asymmetric flapping ranges were studied in this context and were compared through detailed numerical analyses. The asymmetry in the kinematics had a strong effect on the associated unsteady flow-fields and interesting and new wake patterns were discovered.
A Lagrangian approach to unsteady aerodynamics: The project was funded by Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), USA. The focus of this project was on understanding the complex flow-physics of biological propulsion systems and man made devices mimicking them. The key to understanding their load generation lies with the understanding of the unsteady flow-field. A Lagrangian particle based unsteady solver was developed for the specific kinematic regime required for this analysis. The solver could capture the flow-field vortex structures and their time evolution well and was computationally quite efficient and ideally suited for a time accurate simulation for the vortical flow-field.
Study of debris pattern and consequence analysis: The project was funded by Integrated Test Range (ITR), DRDO, India (Other investigators: Nandan K. Sinha, T. M. Muruganandam, Amit Kumar, Aerospace Engineering, IITM). Our group studied the aerodynamics as well as flight dynamics aspects of space debris shapes from rockets and missiles of this multi-disciplinary project. Aerodynamic drag calculation of irregular shaped debris fragments was undertaken. This load data was used by the other investigators for flight path prediction as well as blast impact analysis.

Back to home

Funded Projects:

Address

Contacts